Once the melodic cawing of crows adorned Dhaka’s mornings, creating a remarkable spectacle across the city. However, a concerning shift has occurred, with the crow population witnessing a notable decline in recent times.
Various factors, including habitat and food shortages, unplanned urbanization, and the proliferation of technological installations like mobile towers, have led to the diminishing presence of crows in Dhaka city, warn environmental experts.
This disruption poses a threat to the city’s natural ecology, triggering worries about potential environmental disasters in the future.
Key areas such as Dhanmondi Lake, Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, and the vicinity of Dhaka University have experienced a significant reduction in crow numbers.
While formal studies or assessments on the crow population in Dhaka are scarce, observations from bird enthusiasts and environmental experts unanimously confirm a noticeable decrease in crow numbers over the past decade.
Saiful Islam, a dedicated bird enthusiast who regularly feeds crows and migratory birds in the Ramna Park area, observed, “Since the onset of Covid, I have been feeding the birds here at least three days a week. The number of crows that used to come here in the beginning has gradually reduced.”
The voluntary organization Save the Nature actively works towards the protection of crows and dogs in the Dhaka University area and Suhrawardy Udyan.
Tawhid Bani, the organization’s organizer, highlighted the drastic decrease in crow numbers in recent years. He explained, “Birds like crows are losing their habitat due to the rapid pace of unplanned development. Despite sufficient food availability, the declining habitat is the primary reason for the reduction in crow numbers in Dhaka.”
Dr. Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, a professor in the Zoology department at Dhaka University, identified three main reasons for the declining crow population in the capital: housing and food shortages, unplanned urbanization, and an overabundance of technological installations such as mobile towers. These factors collectively impede the crow’s ability to thrive in its natural environment.
When questioned about the potential environmental impact of reduced crow numbers, Professor Aminul expressed concern, stating, “Crows are an integral part of nature’s cycle, known as ecology. The absence of this cycle can have intangible effects on other birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, and trees. In densely populated cities like Dhaka, this may lead to an environmental disaster, affecting sparrows, butterflies, bats, and more.”
